Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-08
SOMETHING NEW IN BARRELS.
A Decided Departure In the Manufacture
of a Very Useful Article.

You wouldn't think that anything new
could be written about such n homely
subject as a barrel, but decidedly new
departure is to be chroucled. The barre!
of commerce is made by splitting the log
into bolts about thirty inches long. The
bolts are pl iced in a large vat. subjected
20 an intense steam heat for twelve hours,
and then, while hot, are cut up into slaves.
After five or six months of air drying the
slaves are ready FOR the listing for joint
ingl machine. This process completed,
the slaves are in proper condition for the
cooper, who trusses them tarranges them
in barrel form and cuts the chine ana
crozc, after which they are ready for heads
and hoops. Shaving, planning and croZing
machines are used in the manufacture of
common barrels, and in each barrel there
are sixteen slaves. The new barrel is
made of two slaves.
In an establishment where they are
manufactured saw an elm log thirty-one
inches long and twenty-four inches in di-
ameter, resting in a steam vat. \ crane
operated by steam power, grapp'~ the
log and swung it into position in tine ma
chine. This wonderful piece of mcchan-
ism clamps the log exactly in the center
and Immediately begins motion of fifty
revolutions to the minute. When the log
commences to revolve in the embrace Of
the machine Il knife is fed directly on the
outside of the log, cutting of Il continuous
sheet the proper length and thickness of Il
staye. In this way the entire log is util-
lied as staye material except about six
inches OF the core or heart, which is prac-
ucally worthless. On the opposite side Of
the cutting knife. and revolving upon the
surface Of the log. are two cylinders,
being held thereon by the same mechau-
ism which feeds the knife to the log One
revolution Of these cylinders measures a
half barrel Of continuous and solid staye
material In the surface of these cyln-
ders is knife, which is forced into the
solid og, cutting off n sheet. which falls
on 10 a conveyor in the perfect form of q
halt barrel. This half barrel which has
just dropped from the log. is completely
chined, crozed and egualized. Its exter-
nal form is superior To any work whicI
the most expert cooper can exeeIte. Ii is
mathematIcally true The Ginning,
crozng and eqGaliZing have all been done
by the same knife, and the perfected hal.
barrel is the result of the single mechan-
icai revolution.
The elm log referred to remained in the
machine fifty seconds. n; the expiration of
which time il had been converted into
thirty-four staves or material for seven
teen barrels. The slaves are dried. listed
Gointed and then receive head and hoops
Two hundred and twenty barrels are
made from 1000 feet Of log measure BY
the old style of manufacture the maxi.
mum product is about fifty barrels less.
On the Old barrel, with sixteen slaves.
thirty-two listings are required. Here
only four listincs are made. The saving
in this detail alone is great. As a labor
saving invention it represents an advance
If 90 per cent. on the old method Of man
ufacture. Barrels, nail kegs, butter tubs
and pals are turned out at will with this
wonderful machine. The inventor. q
Michigan man, has had the idea germnat-
ing in his brain for over twent, years. but
ii was only during the present yea- that
the mechanism was perfected. Chicago
Herald.